Hydor Submersible Heater

[rdd1952]

I bought a 50w last week for a new 10 gallon tank. I know that is about the minimum for 10 gallon but it should work. I set it up last night and turned it up as high as it would go (about 90) to start cycling. About 2 hours later, the heat was only up to about 82 (from about 76) and this morning (about 10 hours) it was only at 84. I'm not certain it is going to be able to get the temp high enough to cycle. Anyone else had experience with these? I have a 25w I'm not using that I can put in the tank to help get the temp where it needs to be but I hate to have bought something that won't do the job.

 

[simonbrown403]

Personaly i dont like them, the elements are pads as you would use in the base of a reptile tank, theres a foam insert to put the pad upto the glass.
I had it for about 6weeks and it wouldnt hold its temp, i took it back and changed it, and it did the same againg within 6weeks (i was heating tank to 26'C)

I took it back and exchanged it for a diffrent make.

 

[rdd1952]

Thanks for the reply. I have already decided to take it back. When I got home yesterday, the temp was still at 84 and that's after about 21 hours. I added a 25w that I had and the temp went up to 88 (was shooting for 90) but I'm afraid to try to cycle with both of them in the tank since they are both having to heat full tiem to keep the temp there and I dont' think either will make it for 3 weeks of cycling.

 

[eric1514]

On the other hand, if that Hydor heater should fail in the on position, you will probably not kill your future fish with a maximum temperature of 84.

Eric

 

[rdd1952]

You're right about that which may mean that where over filtration is good, extra heating capacity maybe isn't. Maybe the minimum heater is the best way to go. If a 50w can only get a 10 gallon to 84F, then it would be the perfect heater since, as you said, it wouldn't fry the fish if it stuck "on" but may not last as long as it would probably have to work harder to keep the temp at 78 for fish. In my case, I'm only using this tank for cycling experiments so i needed something to get the temp into the low to mid 90s. I swapped it for a 100w Visi-Therm Stealth and it easily got the temp to 92F.